Talking machine



Aug. 4, 1931- H. L. T. BUCKLE TALKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 17, 1524 'Aug. 4, 1931. H. L. -T. BUCKLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORACE LEOPOLD TUCKER BUCKLE, OF IVER HEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY TALKING MACHINE Application filed October 17, 1924, Serial No. 744,244, and in Great Britain October 23, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in talking machlnes, and in particular to-the manner of mounting the stylus holder upon the diaphragm holder, and the manner of connecting the stylus holder to the diaphragm.

One of the objects of the invention is to enable the stylus holder to be moved with regard to the diaphragm, without materially 0 affecting the operative connection between 120 in a disc talking machine in which the diaphragm is carried in a diaphragm holder to which is hinged a transmission member, capable of moving relatively to the diaphragm holder and carrying at its other end the stylus holder. The transmission member may occupy either a position substantially at right angles to the diaphragm or a position substantially parallel therewith. The transmission member may be in the form of a tube through which passes a rod connected at one end to the stylus holder and at the other hinged to a member connected to the diaphragm. The transmission member may be so weighted that the stylus rests on the record and rises and falls with it, so that during playing the diaphragm need not move vertically.

One construction of talking machine embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, shown in full lines in the playing position and in dotted lines in the non-playing position, while Fig. 2 is'a view of the underside of the centre part of the diaphragm.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the diaphragm carrying arm and its pivot, part of the diaphragm being shown in the lowered position in dotted lines.

"1 Fig.4 is a sectional elevation, on a larger scale, showing the connection between the transmission member and the diaphragm.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the stylus carrier and its mountings, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged inverted plan view thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is the turntable revolving in a horizontal plane, and 2 the diaphragm mounted in a holding ring 24 and carried by means of apair of girders 3, 8 running across the diaphragm and secured at opposite sides of the ring, and pivoted by means of screws upon an arm or bracket, 4, pivoted to swing about a vertical axis in a fixed bearing, 5, so that the diaphragm can travel across the record as the needle 6 follows the sound line.

During playing the diaphragm 2 lies at an angle to'the turntable 1, the bottom edge of the diaphragm being towards the rear edge of the turntable, while the top edge of the diaphragm lies high above the turntable thus .4 and engaging with holes8 formed in the rear ends of the girders 3 When not in use the diaphragm may be tipped back upon its I carrying arm or may be lowered to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, substantially levelwiththe turntable. In this positionthe spring ball catches 7 engage with holes 9 in the rear ends of the girders 3 (see Fig.3). 7

The stylus holder 10 ismounted in any known or suitable manner on the lower end of a tubular transmission member 21, so as to oscillate under the action of the sound line upon the reproducing needle. @The stylus holder illustrated is of the type having a pair of spring arms 26 projecting at rightangles to the line of the needle and in the plane in which the needle oscillates, the spring arms being adapted to hold firmly between their perforated ends the ball shaped end 11 of a lOO connecting member 12 passing through the tubular member21 and serving to transmit the vibrations of the needle 6 to the diaphragm 2. The stylus holder 10 is pivotally mounted on the end of the tubular transmission member in any suitable manner, such as illustrated for instance in applicants British Patent No. 2021, 188, of August- 23, 1923. A mounting of this type is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings wherein a flexible leaf spring 27 is clamped at one end to holder 10 by plate 28 and cap screws 29, and at the other end to a boss 30 on the tubular member 21 by means of plate 31 and cap screws 32. The connecting member 12, is not attached directly to the diaphragm, but is jointed to a second connecting member 13 attached adjacent one end to the diaphragm. The joint between mem bers 12 and 13 may take the form of two spring elements 14, 14 on the member 12, holding between them the ball end 15 of the member 13. This arrangement permits of the stylus holder 10 being moved freely with regard to the diaphragm 2 without breaking or aifecting its operative connection therewith. This movement, however, is restricted preferably to a direction at right angles to the direction of oscillation of the needle in the following the sound line, that is to say the movement is only in a plane at right angles to the record and in the same plane as the axis of oscillation of the stylus bar. This is secured by the following means. To the girders 3 bridging the diaphragm is secured by means of screws 17 or the like, a block 16, of metal. The block 16 is so shaped as to provide a space within which is pivoted by means of screws 18, 19 the yoke shaped end 20 of the tubular member 21.. Between the arms of the yoke 20, the n'iember 12 is hinged to the member 13, the spring elements 1 1, 1 1, on member 12 holding the ball end 15 of member 13 between them.

The arrangement and the dimension of the parts are such that when the diaphragm is in the playing position and the needle is on the record, the two connecting members 12 and 13 lie substantially in a straight line, at right angles to the diaphragm, and the oscillation of the needle exercises a direct pull and push on the diaphragm. The needle is, however, able to follow freely any rise and fall in the surface of the record (due to the turntable not lying absolutely true, for example), the tubular member 21 hinging about its bearing formed by the pins 18, 19 and the connecting member 12 hinging on the ball end 15 of the connecting member 13, the two hinging movements being arranged to take place about a common axis.

This arrangement further allows the stylus holder 10 and tubular member 21 to be lifted up from the record and folded into a position approximately parallel with th diaphragm 2, in which position it may be held by a suitable clip or the like device 22 on the girders 8, above referred to, whereupon the diaphragm may be lowered to a position approximately parallel with the turntable shown in dotted lines in 1 and held in this position by the spring ball catches 7, so that the lid of the machine may be closed down.

The tubular member 21 is given sufiicient mass to cause the needle 6 to lie with the requisite weight upon the record and to be resistant to the vibratory action of the needle holder 10 which is mounted on it. This effect may be secured by weighting its lower end, as at 23, Fig. 1.

The hinged member 21 on which the stylus bar 10'is mounted need not necessarily be tubular, though in this form it affords protection for the connecting member 12 running through it.

In an alternative construction the diaphragm and other parts occupy substantially the same position as above described, but the tubular member 21 and stylus holder 10, though hinged as above described, do not rock with regard to the diaphragm 2 during playing, but are held rigid and they and the diaphragm can move vertically together. There is in this case preferably provided a counterweight or spring to relieve the needle of part of the weight of these parts. The tubular member 21 can be hinged up flat with the diaphragm for closing down, in the manner described above, a suitable spring clip or the like device of a type similar to clip 22 holding the tubular member out straight when required in the playing position.

What I claim is:

1. A talking machine comprising a support, a diaphragm, a diaphragm carrier pivoted on the support about a horizontal axis and carrying said diaphragm, a transmission member hinged upon said carrier, and an oscillatng stylus holder mounted on the free end of said transmission member.

2. A talking machine comprising a diaphragm, a diaphragm carrier on which the diaphragm is mounted, a rigid vibration transmission member hinged upon said carrier so as to be capable of occupying either a position substantially at right angles to said diaphragm or a position substantially parallel to said diaphragm, and an oscillating stylus holder resiliently and fixedly mourned on the free end of said transmission member.

3. A talking machine comprising a movably mounted diaphragm, a diaphragm carrier on which the diaphragm is mounted, a transmission member hinged upon said car rier and having the form of a tube, said transmission member being adapted for movement with said diaphragm, a rod passing through said tube, a connecting member attached at one end to the diaphragm and at the other end articulated to one end of said rod, and

' an oscillating stylus holder connected to the phragm carrier on which the diaphragm is mounted, a transmission member hinged upon said carrier, an Oscillating stylus holder mounted on the free end of said transmission member, and a stylus mounted in said stylus holder and adapted to be held by the Weight of said transmission member in a position to co-operate with the rotating record.

5. In a talking machine comprising a support, a diaphragm pivoted thereto and adapted to occupy an inclined playing position and a substantially horizontal non-playing position, transmission means including a rod secured to said diaphragm, a stylus holder operatively secured to said rod, and means for maintaining said transmission means in a position beneath said diaphragm and substantially parallel to the same.

6. In a talking machine of the type employing a rotating record, a support, a diaphragm pivoted thereon for movement relative to said record to a substantially horizontal non-playing position, means including a rod and a stylus holder operatively secured to the diaphragm, and means for yieldingly maintaining said first-named means in a plane substantially parallel to the diaphragm.

7. A talking machine comprising a support, a diaphragm movably mounted on said support, means for yieldingly maintaining mission unit hinged to the diaphragm unit, means for retaining the units in inoperative positions parallel and adjacent to the record, and means for retaining the diaphragm unit in an inclined position such that the transmission unit will, when released, maintain an operative relation with the disc.

11. In a talking machine of the type employing a rotary disc record, a support, a diaphragm unit hinged to the support, a transmission unit hinged to the diaphragm unit, and means in operative engagement with the support for retaining the diaphragm unit in an inclined position with the transmission unit in operative relation with the disc.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

. HORACE LEOPOLD TUCKER BUCKLE.

said diaphragm in an inclined playing posi- 1 tion, and transmission means including a stylus holder operatively secured to said diaphragm and movable to a position substantially parallel to said diaphragm.

8. In a talking machine of the type employing a rotating record, a support, a diaphragm pivoted thereon for movement relative to said record, transmission means including a. stylus holder and a stylus operatively secured to said diaphragm and movable therewith, the weight of said transmission means being adapted to maintain said stylus in engagement with said record, and

means for yieldingly maintaining said diaphragm in a substantially horizontal nonplaying position.

9. In a talking machine of the type employing a rotary disc record, a support, a diaphragm unit hinged to the support, a transmission unit hinged to the diaphragm unit, means for retaining the units in inoperative positions parallel and adjacent to the record, and means for retaining the diaphragm unit in an inclined operative position.

10. In a talking machine of the type employing a rotary disc record, a support, a diaphragm unit hinged to the support, a trans- 

